Draft-rigging for railway-cars.



W. J. MACK.

DRAFT RIGGING FOR RAILWAY (JARS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1006.

927,737. Pa ented July 13. 1909.

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DRAFT RIGGING FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.22,190U.

Patented July 13,1909.

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DRAFT RIGGING- FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILEDNO'v',22.1906.

927,737. Patented July 13, 1909.

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DRAFT RIGGING POE RAILWAY (JARS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV 22.1906.

Patented July 13, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

lf/ineaaed WILLIAM J. MACK, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

DRAFT-RIGGING FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 1909.

Application filed November 22, 1906. Serial No. 344,593.

' fication.

This invention relates to railway rolling stock, and more especially tothe draft rigging connected with cars and'by which the draw-bars andcouplings are supported, and the object of the same is to improve theconstruction of these parts so that they may be readily inspected or maybe removed or repaired individually by disconnecting the least number ofassociated pieces.

The draft rigging herein described comprises broadly longitudinal sills,a continuous draft-bar between them, bolsters supporting them, draw-barscarried by the sills, spring connections between these elements andcouplings attached to the draw-bars.

The drawings illustrate the device in detail at only one end of a car,but as shown in the general view in Figure 1, it is duplicated at theother end and the continuous draw-bar connects the two.

The parts herein described are by preference all of metal, although itis quite possible that some of these parts or others used inconjunction-with them could be of other material. The exact size, shape,and proportion is immaterial; and the appended claims point out thenovelty.

In the drawings,1*ig. 1 is a perspective view of my complete draftrigging. Figs. 2, 3, and {l are plan views, side elevations, and bottomplan view respectively of one end of the device, the oth'er end being anexact duplicate. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 55, Fi 3.Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on line (i6, Fig. 2. Figs. 7 to 12are sections on the section lines respectively indicated in Fig. 8. Fig.13 is an enlarged perspective detail of the drawbar. Fig. 14: is anenlarged perspective detail of the sills in their relative position.Figs. 15 and 16 are perspective details of the top and bottom plates.Fig. 17 is a perspective detail of one follower.

The reference numeral 1 designates longitudinal sills which arepreferably I-bcams properly attached to and supported by the car body inany practicable manner, and 2 is a continuous draft-bar also in the formof an I-beam turned on edge so that its web is horizontal and it becomesin effect an H-beain. As usual, the draft bar extends the length of thecar and connects the sills at one end with those at the other, beingsecured to them by bolts 3. In addition to this attaching means thereare stops 4 arranged at either side of each end of the draft-bar,hcld'in place by said bolts 3, having inturned flanges 5 at their innerends against which the end of the draft-bar abuts, and having out-turnedflanges 6 at their other ends which pass over the extremities of thesills so as to take up the thrust of the latter in case of shock andprevent cutting oil the bolts 3.

I consider it of advantage to form both the sills and draft-bar of theshape described, and set their webs at right angles to each other, and Iconsider the stops of considerable advantage in the connection in whichthey are employed. The webs of the sills are provided at proper pointswith openings 7 for permitting inspection of springs described below,their upper flanges are notched, as at 8, and the other parts arepierced with bolt holes at proper points for the attachment of the topand bottom plates 9 and 11, respectively, shown in Figs. 15 and 16.Referring also to Figs. 6 and 9, it will be seen that the top plate 9has a rib 10 on its under side which sets into said notches in the upperflanges of the sills 1, and upon the webs of the latter; while thebottom plate 11 has a rib 12 on its upper side of a length to fitbetween the webs of the sills, the lower flanges of the sills beingcut-away at such points, as shown in Fig. 9. Said bottom plate has books13 at its outer ends which fit outside said flanges, the top platesthereby preventing the relative longitudinal displacement of the sillsand the bottom plates their relative lateral displacement, and the innerfaces of the webs and the two ribs producing a rectangular opening whichforms a housing for the body of the drawbar.

The draw-bar (Fig. 13) has a body 20 which is preferably made of onepiece, having a number of upright pockets 21 with inspection openings 27in their side walls at points to re ister normally with those numbored 7in the sills. At its rear end the top and bottom are cut away and itsside plates have openings so that a yoke 22 is produced, for a purposeto appear below. A pocket 23 is formed at the front end of the draw-barand is boxed in or closed, at top and bottom (Figs. 6, l0, and 13), andpierced vertically with a hole for a pivot bolt 24 by which the shank ofa coupling 25 is held in place. This pivot bolt is preferably insertedfrom beneath, and has a head 26 at its lower end resting upon a lip orextension 112 which projects forwardly from a front bottom plate 111 asseen in Figs. 4, 6 and '10, so that ordinarily the coupling will be heldtherein although it can be removed by unscrewing the front bottom plate111 and thereby removing the pivot bolt. Said forward pocket is alsopierced laterally with oval holes 28 forward-of those for the pivotbolt, and within these holes stands a transverse oval bar or key 29Whichmay be held in place by upright pins 30 passing through the sidewalls of the boxing and adapted to be lifted out as shown in Fig. 11when the oval bar or key is to be withdrawn. The latter passes through ahole in the coupling which is oval in cross section and is enlargedlaterally at each end as seen in Fig. 5 thereby permitting the couplingto swing on they pivot-bolt, but utilizing the oval bar to at fordadditional strength to the connection between. At the extreme front endof the draw-bar is an enlarged head 31 having interior socketsfor'springs 32 (Fig. 12) which stand at each side of the shank of thecoupling 25 so as to hold it normally centered. These sockets are closedat their outer ends by plates 33, which when removed give access to thesprings 32. Within the head beneath the opening for the drawbar is ashallow depression 3a in which move balls or rollers 35 that support theshank of the coupling and permit it to. move from side to side with theleast possible friction. Access to this depression and the rollers canof course be had by removingthe coupling. Thus the various parts of theconnection between the coupling and draw-bar are readil accessiblewithout the use of tools whic may be rare, and without disturbing otherparts of the rigging; while the coupling stands normally centered,supported on balls or rollers, and is permitted the necessary movementto either side. I show no details of the coupling itself, as thatelement forms no part of the present invention.

Springs are located intthe pockets of the draw-bar. Three areillustrated herein, and.

as they are similar in construction I will describe but one, see Figs.5, 6, 8, and 17. The spring itself, 40, is here shown as an expansivecoil whose ends fit in sockets 42 formed in the inner faces of twinfollowers 43, there follower is of a width to fit transversely within apocket 21 in the draw-bar, but has top and bottom flanges -14 whichproject above and below partitions 45 between said pockets and restagainst the ribs 10 and 12 of the top and bottom plates. Hence when theparts are in their normal position (Fig. 6) the springs expand and holdthe followers against the partitions and their flanges against saidribs, and the registering openings permit inspection. A forward pull onthe draw-bar carries the partitions forward, and they move the rearwardfollowers toward the forward followers, which latter are held by theribs; and conversely a rearward movement of the draw-bar will similarlycompress the springs in a manner which will be clear. To remove anyspring, it is necessary to remove two bottom plates which support itsfollowers, and drawthe followers and spring downward out of theirpocket; and the same or similar members can be replaced by a reverseoperation. In some cases, or if there are a number of pockets andsprings, a buffer spring described below might be omitted, but I haveshown and prefer its use.

The buffer spring 50 is also a coiled expansion spring located betweenthe sills and between plates 51 and 52 which fit loosely between thesills Figs. 5 and 6 and-are supported on a wide bottom plate 113 havingribs 114 on its upper face which bear against the webs of the sills, theinner lower flanges of the latter being cut-away for this pain pose, asshown in Fig. 7. The inner plate rests against the flanges 5 of thestops 4,

While the outer plate rests against the end of the yoke 22 of thedraw-bar. Hence this strong bufi'er spring will resist powerful endwithdrawing the bottom p ate 113 and taking it out with its plates 51,and can be replaced by a reverse operation, both without disturbingother parts of the draft rigging. A bolster 60 is held to the sills bybolts 64 passing outwardly through the latter and through a part of thebolster. By removing said bolts, the position of the bolster on the 115sills can be changed. Having thus described my invention, what I claimis,

1. In a draft-rigging, the combination with a housing having a forwardextension at its bottom, and a draw-bar mounted in said housing andhaving a pocket in its front end; of a coupling whose shank enters thepocket, and a pivot-bolt through said shank and the top and bottom wallsof the pocket and having a head at its lower end resting normally onsaid extension.

2. In a draft rigging, the combination with a housing, and a draw-barmounted therein and having a pocket in its front end pierced verticallyand horizontally; of a coupling whose shank fits loosely in the pocketand is pierced vertically and horizontally with holes of which thelatter is laterally enlarged at each end, a pivot-bolt through thevertical holes, a key through the horizontal holes, and means forholding the pivot bolt and bar in place.

3. In a draft rigging, the combination with a housing, and a draw-barmounted therein and having a pocket in its front end, the draw-bar beingpierced vertically with a round hole for a pivot bolt, horizontally withan oval hole forward of that for the pivot bolt, and vertically throughits sidewalls with small holes intersecting the oval hole; of a couplingwhose shank fits the pocket loosely and is pierced with a vertical andwith a horizontal oval hole which latter is laterally enlarged at eachend, a pivotbolt in the vertical hole, means for holding said pivot-boltin place, an oval key havin eyes near its extremities and fitting saidoval hole in the pocket and passing throu h that in the couplmg, andpins in said small holes passing through the eyes in said key.

4. In a draft rigging, the combination with a housing, a draw-barmounted therein and having a pocket in its front end, and a headsurrounding said front end and having sockets opening through its sides;of a coupling whose shank loosely fits said pocket, a pivot-bolt,springs in the sockets at either side of the shank, and lates at theexterior of said head holding said springs removably in lace.

5. In a draft rigging, the combination with ahousing, a draw-bar mountedtherein and having a pocket in its front end, and a head surroundingsaid front end and having sockets opening through its sides; of acoupling whose shank loosely fits said pocket, a pivot-bolt, springs inthe sockets at either side of the shank, plates at the exterior of theheadholding' said springs removably in place, and rolling supportswithin the head beneath the draw-bar.

6. In a draft rigging, the combination with a housing, a draw-bartherein having a pocket in its front end, and an enlarged head aroundsaid front end having a depression at the lower side of said pocket; ofa couplin whose shank fits loosely in the pocket, a pivot-bolt, androlling supports mounted in said depression beneath said shank.

7. In a draft rigging, the combination with a housing, a draw-bartherein having a pocket in its front end, and an enlarged head aroundsaid front end having a depression at the lower side of said pocket; ofa coupling whose shank fits loosely in the pocket, an upright pivot-boltholding it therein, a horizontal key across the pocket and passingloosely through said shank,

means for centering the latter in the pocket, and rolling supportsmounted in said depression beneath. said shank.

8. In a draft rigging, the combination with a draw-bar having uprightpockets with partitions between them, and within each pocket a springand two follower plates having top and bottom flanges projecting beyondthe contour of the draw-bar; of a housing for the latter comprisingparallel I-beams between whose webs and flanges said draw-bar fits, andtop and bottom plates bolted across said I-beams and having ribsseparatin the flanges on the followerers and standing 111 line with thepartitions in the draw-bar when the latter is in its normal position.

9. In a draft rigging, the combination with a draw-bar having uprightpockets with partitions between them and openings in their side-walls,and within each pocket a spring and two follower plates having top andbottom flanges projecting beyond the contour of the draw-bar; of ahousing for the latter comprising parallel I-beams between whose websand flanges said draw-bar fits, theupper flanges being notched and thewebs having openings adapted to register with those in the draw-bar, topand bottom plates bolted across said I-beams, ribs on the top plateentering said notches, shorter ribs on the bottom plates fitting betweenthe lower flanges of the I-beams, and hooks on these plates fittingoutside said flanges, said ribs separating the flanges of the followersand standing 1n line with the partitions in the draw-bar when the latteris in its normal position.

10. In a draft rigging, the combination with a draw-bar having uprightpockets with partitions between them and openings in their side walls,and within each pocket a spring and two follower plates, each platehaving a socket for the sprin and notches adapted to register with saidopenings in the side walls, and top and bottom flanges; of a housingcomprising parallel I-beams between whose webs and flanges said drawbarfits, the webs having openings adapted to register with those in theside walls of the draw-bar, and top and bottom plates connecting theflanges on the I-beams and interposed between those on the followers.

11. In a draft rigging, the combination with a housing comprisingparallel sills having inwardly projecting top and bottom flanges, andplates secured across them and having ribs standing in the planes of theflange; of a hollow draw-bar guided between said sills and the flangeson the latter, transverse partitions in the draw-bar forming pocketsopen at top and bottom, within each pocket a spring and two followerplates, the latter bein of the width of the pocket but of greaterIieight than the depth of the pocket so as to engage the ribs on theplates of the housing.

12. In a draftrigging, the combination with a draw-bar having a yoke atits rear end, a housing for the drawbar, springs in the latter, andstops for the springs carried 1 by the housing; of supports for thehousing,

a continuous draft bar between the housing at one end of the car andthat at the other, stops interposed between the rear end of each housingand the adjacent end of the draft-bar, and buffer springs interposedbetween the latter and said yoke.

13. In a draft rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, and a housingtherefor comprising parallel I-beams whose webs stand-vertical; of acontinuous draft-bar consisting of an H-beam whose flanges fit betweenthe webs of said I-beams at each end of the car, and connections betweenthese members.

14. In a draft rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, and a housingtherefor comprising parallel I-beams whose webs stand vertical; of acontinuous draft-bar consisting of an H-beam whose flanges fit betweenthe webs of said I-beams at each end of the car and stops comprisingbodies interposed between the flanges of the continuous draft bar andthe webs of the I-beams and flanges fitting over the ends of thesemembers, respectively.

15. In a draft rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, having pocketsin its body, a housing therefor consisting of parallel I- beams, stopsacross the latter, and springs in said pockets against said stops; ofstops at the inner end of the housing, plates within the latter againstsaid stops and against the rear end of the draw-bar, a buffer springbetween said plates, and a supporting plate for this spring bolted tothe bottom of said housm I6. In a draft rigging, the combination with adraw-bar, a housing therefor consisting of parallel I-beams, stopsacross the latter, and springs and follower plates carried by thedraw-bar and engaging said stops; of stops between the rear ends of saidI-beams, a plate resting against them, an other plate against the innerend of the draw-bar, these plates being supported by the flanges of theI-beams, a buffer spring be tween said plates, and a wide bottom platebolted to the lower flanges of said I-beams and supporting said. spring.

17. In a draft rigging, the combinatio with a draw-bar, having a yoke atits rear end cut away at its top and bottom and provided with openingsin its side plates, a

housing for the draw-bar, and springs between these members; of atransverse bolster comprising members crossing the housing at pointsopposite the normal position of the yoke and there perforated for thepurpose set forth, stops at the inner end of the housing, and a bufferspring between said stops and the inner end of the yoke.

18. In a draft rigging, the combination of adraw-bar having pockets withpartitions between them, and within each pocket a spring and twofollowers; of a support for the draw-bar, and detachable stops on saidsupport. in line with the partitions in the draw-bar and fitting betweenadjacent followers in adjoining pockets. 7

19. In a draft rigging, the combination with the sills, of a draw-barmovable vbetween said sills and having upright pockets with partitionsbetween them, and within each pocket a spring and two follower latesextending beyondthe contour of the rawbar, and stops detachably securedto said sills in line with said partitions in the drawbar and fittingbetween the extending portions of the follower plates, each stop fittingbetween "adjacent follower-plates in adjoining pockets.

20. In a draft-rigging, the combination with a housing, and a draw-barmounted in said housing, a coupling, a pivot-bolt fastening saidcoupling to said draw-bar and having a head at its lower end, and meansto retain said ivot-bolt in place and on displacement of which saidpivot-bolt may be withdrawn to detach the coupling.

21. In a draft-rigging, the combination with a housing, and a draw-barmount-ed in said housing, a coupling, a pivot-bolt fastening saidcoupling to said draw-bar and having a head at its lower end, and aplate detachably secured to the housing on which the head of saidpivot-bolt rests.

22. In a draft-rigging, the combination with a housing of a draw barhaving an upright-pocket, a spring and followers within said pocket,stops on said housing against I which said followers bear, and a platedetachably held to the underside of the housing allowing the removal ofsaid spring and followers from said pocket when detached from saidhousing.

In testimony whereof, I have aifixed my signature in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM J. MACK.

Witnesses HARRY D. RAPP, EMIL NEUHART.

